BOLTON’S triple Olympic cycling champion Jason Kenny hopes his success can inspire youngsters in the town to follow in his footsteps and breed the next generation of sporting champions.

Kenny is still just 24 years old but is already a role model after his stunning achievements in both the Beijing and London Games of 2008 and 2012.

And with the Keirin track world title added to his portfolio earlier this year, his success continues to be something budding sports stars in Bolton can aspire to.

Kenny appreciates that fact but believes it is not just about promoting cycling to youngsters with their own Olympic dreams, but also encouraging them to get involved in any sport.

The unassuming Farnworth lad is still a youngster himself, but acknowledges his status as a role model.

Kenny told The Bolton News: “I enjoyed getting questions from the kids – I enjoy going to schools and meeting them.

“There are usually a few vetted ones from the teachers, then you get the off-the-cuff ones which are always fun.

“I quite enjoy the fact a lot of the kids don’t really know who I am.

“It is not like you walk into a room and everyone stops; kids are really honest.

“I say “Who wants to be a cyclist?” and no-one puts their hands up – obviously everyone wants to be a footballer at that age.

“I was exactly the same – I didn’t want to be a great cyclist when I was younger; I didn’t think I would go on to win Olympic gold medals.

“For me it was competing and racing because I love racing; I will race anything even just having a run the length of a sports hall.

“I didn’t have any idols growing up; I just loved competing.

“The thrill of racing and winning inspired me.

“I got on a bike and found out I was quite good at it and it just went from there.

“First and foremost you have to enjoy a sport and if you are good enough, you will be spotted and taken to the next level.

“It is not just about encouraging them to get on a bicycle; it is about getting them doing any sport they fancy really.

“If I can be a role model in that way, that’s great.”

Kenny was speaking at an event to promote the National Lottery’s sporting heroes exhibition in Manchester.

And he says the funding provided by the lottery has been crucial in his career and to British cycling as a whole in a successful decade for the sport.

He believes the cash injected has also improved facilities so that today’s potential stars have more chance of following in his gold-laden footsteps.

Kenny added: “With lottery funding and the facilities in and around Bolton and Manchester now, you can pick any sport you want to try out – even skiing.

“If you look at my own career, everything I have done since an early age has been lottery funded and it is a massive boost to British cycling as a sport as well.

“I owe all my success to the lottery funding I have had since the age of 13.

“It has allowed me and other cyclists to train in good facilities and focus on winning races and that has helped the success we have had.

“My mum and dad are like every other parent and when I started out they thought it may be too expensive but it doesn’t always have to be.

“When I first started riding at a track it was £3 per session and that was 12 years ago.

“Funding means facilities are even better now and subsidised.

“Cycling is not something you would ever think of doing growing up in Farnworth.

“We had Farnworth baths but, to be fair to it, that wasn’t the best maintained at the time and that was the only sports centre we had nearby.

“Now, there is Bolton One, the Jason Kenny Centre, as it is now called, and some cycle tracks.

“The positive impact cycling has had on places like my home town is great, and countrywide it just keeps getting better.”

l National Lottery funding was crucial to our athletes’ stunning medal success at London 2012. Lottery funding is also improving local sports clubs and facilities for everyone to enjoy sport.